Colleges

One brief letdown costly for Bulls

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published January 6, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT [AP photo] Meg Bulger drives around USF's ChiChi Okpaleke during the first half of West Virginia's 79-73 victory.

TAMPA - With 11 minutes to play Saturday, USF was within a point of No.17 West Virginia and within easy reach of its first quality win of the season.

The Mountaineers (11-2) scored on their next seven possessions for a 15-2 run that put the game out of reach. USF pulled within three in the final minute, but West Virginia hit enough free throws to pull out a 79-73 win in the Big East opener for both teams before a season-high 1,224 at the Sun Dome.

"A three-minute stretch there in the game totally killed us," coach Jose Fernandez said. "... Our kids have to learn they can't decide when to play and when not to play, and at times, that's what happened."

Junior guard Shantia Grace led USF (10-4) with 25 points but did so on 6-for-18 shooting. Centers Brittany Denson and Jessica Lawson couldn't contain West Virginia's Olayinka Sanni, who had 23 points on 10-for-13 shooting. West Virginia hit 11 3-pointers, matching a season high.

"We just made a few mental mistakes," Grace said. "We all broke down, and defensively, we didn't play that hard and they capitalized on our mistakes."

USF plays at St. John's on Tuesday before returning home for Syracuse on Saturday.

UF 68, TEMPLE 54: Sha Brooks scored a season-high 23 to lead the visiting Gators (11-4) to their seventh straight victory in their nonconference finale. Florida opens SEC play Thursday at Kentucky. UF played without coach Amanda Butler, who was tending to a family emergency.

NO. 12 DUKE 84, MIAMI 72: Wanisha Smith had a career-high five 3-pointers and scored 16 as the visiting Blue Devils improved to 5-0 against the Hurricanes (7-9) in an ACC opener.

TAMPA 63, NOVA SE 52: Sheena Walton had 14 points and 11 rebounds for her fifth double double of the season, and the host Spartans (9-2, 2-0 Sunshine State) held off a rally.

BARRY 48, ECKERD 44: Lucy Martinez scored 16 as the visiting Buccaneers rallied past the Tritons (9-3, 0-2 SSC), who were coming off a 17-day layoff.

ROLLINS 69, SAINT LEO 64, OT: Jennifer Musgrove had 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting Tars past the Lions (7-5, 0-1 SSC).

Top 25

NO. 3 TENN. 87, NO. 14 NOTRE DAME 14: Angie Bjorklund matched a career high with seven 3-pointers and scored 21 for the visiting Vols, who used a 22-2 run midway through the first half to take control.

NO. 4 UNC 99, GA. TECH 78: Rashanda McCants scored 19 and Jessica Breland 18 for the host Tar Heels in the ACC opener for both.

NO. 6 RUTGERS 58, ST. JOHN'S 50: Epiphanny Prince scored 15 for the host Scarlet Knights in a Big East opener. Rutgers won its season-high sixth straight.

NO. 25 ARK. 80, TEXAS TECH 57: Ayana Brereton scored 16 for the host Razorbacks (15-0), off to the best start in team history.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

[Last modified January 5, 2008, 23:10:25]